Bellevue student sentenced for sex assault, trafficking of a minor

Bellevue teen will spend 20-40 years in prison for his role in sex trafficking case

WEBVTT COURT. MR. STUBBLEFIELD: I WISH I COULDTAKE IT BACK.THIS WHOLE YEAR HAS BEEN ASTRUGGLE FOR ME AND MY FAMILYAND ALL PARTIES INVOLVED. LAURANN: STANDING IN FRONT OFTHE JUDGE, NOW 19-YEAR-OLDDEARCH STUBBLEFIELD TOLD THECOURT HE MADE A MISTAKE AND ISTRYING TO MOVE FORWARD. MR. STUBBLEFIELD: I LET MY MOMDOWN.I LET MY DAD --EVERYBODY BEHIND ME, I LET THEMALL DOWN.AND I JUST WISH I COULD GET ASECOND CHANCE. LAURANN: AT AGE 18, WHILE HE WASA SENIOR AT BELLEVUE WEST HIGHSCHOOL, COURT DOCUMENTS SHOWSTUBBLEFIELD ENTICED A15-YEAR-OLD GIRL, POSTING ADS ONCRAIGSLIST, THEN TAKING HER TOHAVE SEX WITH MEN FOR MONEY. >> THERE'S BAD DECISIONS, ANDTHEN THERE'S ALSO EXPLOITATIONOF A MINOR IN THIS SITUATION. LAURANN: AFTER HIS ARREST, SARPYCOUNTY PROSECUTORS SAYSTUBBLEFIELD VIOLETED HIS BOND,INCLUDING ORDERS TO STAY AWAYFROM MINORS, SOMETHING JUDGEGEORGE THOMPSON TOOK INTOACCOUNT AT SENTENCING. BUT THE DEFENSE ARGUED THIS ISNOT A TYPICAL SEX-TRAFFICKINGCASE. >> THIS IS NOT THE PEOPLE THATWE'RE AFTER WHEN WE CREATED THATLAW. LAURANN: OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM,FRIENDS OF STUBBLEFIELD TOLD MEHE WAS MISJUDGED. K.C. BEGLEY SAYING HE SAYING HEWAS RESPECTFUL TO HER FAMILY ANDDIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND THECONSEQUENCES OF HIS ACTIONS. MR. BEGLEY: THIS IS A GREATYOUNG MAN, AND IT MAKES ME SICKAND SAD. LAURANN: ULTIMATELY,STUBBLEFIELD PLED GUILTY TOATTEMPTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF AMINOR, AIDING AND ABETTINGSEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD, ANDPOSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.REPORTING IN SARPY COUNTY,LAURANN ROBINSON, KETV NEWSWATCH

Bellevue student sentenced for sex assault, trafficking of a minor

Bellevue teen will spend 20-40 years in prison for his role in sex trafficking case

A Bellevue teenager will spend the next 20-40 years in prison for his role in a sex trafficking case.

A Sarpy County judge sentenced Dearch Stubblefield, 19, after he took a deal -- pleading guilty to a number of different counts.

"I wish I could take it back. This whole year has been a struggle for me and my family and all parties involved," Stubblefield said.

During the hearing, Stubblefield told the court he made a mistake and is trying to move forward.

"I let my mom down. I let my dad, everybody behind me, I let them all down. And I just wish I could get a second chance," Stubblefield said.

According to court documents,Stubblefield enticed a 15-year-old girl when he was 18 years old and a senior at Bellevue West High School. He posted ads on Craigslist and took her to have sex with men for money.

"There's bad decisions, and then there's exploitation of a minor in this situation," said Sarpy County Judge George Thompson.

During the sentencing, Thompson noted that Stubblefield violated his bond after his initial arrest by violating a protection order and orders to stay away from minors. But the defense argued this is not a typical sex-trafficking case.

"This is not the people that we're after when we created that law," said Christopher Lathrop, Stubblefield's defense attorney.

Outside the courtroom, friends of Stubblefield said was misjudged.

K.C. Begley, whose son was one of Stubblefield's school friends, said the teen was respectful to her family and didn't fully understand the consequences of his actions.

"This is a great young man and it makes me sick and sad," Begley said.

Stubblefield pleaded guilty to attempted human trafficking of a minor, aiding and abetting sexual assault of a child, and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to 20-40 years in prison and will be eligible for parole in 10 years.

Jason Gibson, 41, was also involved in the case. He pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child and was sentenced to 180 days in jail and five years of probation.